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Character Interview & Giveaway: Caprion from the Cat's Eye Chronicles by T.L. Shreffler

Today I'm excited to share an interview with Caprion, the general of the harpy army, and a seraphim in his own right. You've had a chance to meet Caprion in Volcrian's Hunt, and tomorrow will see the release of his own story, Caprion's Wings. For more info on that and to enter the giveaway, see the bottom of the post. And since I had the honor of beta-reading it, I can guarantee it's a fun but dark, action-packed story that is definitely worth picking up! Without further ado, let's welcome Caprion...

Hi Caprion, thanks for joining us today!I realize we only have a few minutes with you (you seraphim are busy folk!), so without further ado, here are our top 5 questions:

1. At the beginning of Caprion's Wings, you've been trying for years to earn your wings and failing. You're ready to risk almost anything to gain them. Looking back from where you stand today, do you have any true, deep regrets about what unfolded? Would you change anything?

Looking back, I realize I should have been more patient. Florentine was right all along--if I had just waited for the Matriarch to awaken from her three-week slumber, I wouldn’t have put my queen (and the entire island) in danger. But everything seems more urgent when you’re young. I thought if I waited to consult the Matriarch about my visions, I would lose my chance at finding my wings forever.

2. I understand you had a difficult time with your family growing up, especially your brother. Who in your life do you most look up to and why?

Ironically, I used to look up to Sumas A LOT when I was a child. He was six years older than me, so of course, I idolized him. He would play the usual “big brother” pranks, and he could be cruel sometimes, but he never put my life in danger.

That all changed when I failed my first Singing. Sumas became more aggressive. He seemed to take my failure as a personal offense. I still don’t know if he meant to punish me or just toughen me up. Either way, that’s when the teasing turned into outright bullying.

Now, as an adult, it’s difficult for me to find anyone to look up to. My own people are constantly disappointing me. I was raised to think that Harpies are perfect, but after seeing the cruelty and pettiness of my own race, it’s hard to find any sort of real role model.

3. What is your greatest fear?

I’m afraid of losing Moss--of doing something that might lead to her death.
As a seraphim, I fear that I will be unequal to the task of protecting my people.
Mostly, though, I am afraid of becoming like them. I don’t want to become like Sumas or the Matriarch, who are both bullies in their own right. I don’t want to abuse my power or make others suffer by my hand.

4. What exactly does being a seraphim mean in the context of Harpy culture? (We know that their magic is stronger, but does that mean different abilities, expectations, etc?) And is the Matriarch a seraphim?

We are especially good at hunting demons. You could say that is our true purpose. Beyond that, a seraphim is a battle harpy, ideal for war. Whereas normal Harpies have only one set of wings, seraphim have 3 sets (6 wings), which makes our magic about 3 times stronger than usual. Still, our physical bodies have limitations and we can die from using too much magic at once. Harpies usually live about two-hundred years, but seraphim bodies are worn down by magic, which gives us an almost-human lifespan.

In the past, a seraphim “manifests” before a great change or a great danger. We’ve been dubbed “the heralds of the One Star.” If a seraphim has manifested, it means war or an even bigger threat lies on the horizon.

The Matriarch is not a seraphim. She has only one set of wings. She is a powerful female Harpy, usually a prior soldier, who is elected by the people when the old Matriarch dies. She is seen as the “mother” of our people and is more long-lived than the rest.

5. What have the Harpies been doing since the War of the Races? And why are you willing to leave them so easily at the end of Volcrian's Hunt, rather than sending some of your own soldiers?

Since the War of the Races, my race has been recuperating. The war shattered our entire civilization and birth rates have been on the decline. You could say my people are keeping their heads down, struggling to hold onto what little they have left.

Honestly, I don’t like other Harpies very much. I feel duty-bound to protect my people, but I don’t feel that close to them, if you know what I mean…? I know I’m supposed to protect them from the Dark God...but I don’t know if they deserve it.

Imagine living your entire life under house arrest--that’s how my life’s been since becoming a seraphim. The Matriarch watches my every move. I wanted to escape for years before Sora ever arrived, then she offered the perfect opportunity. I didn’t tell anyone where I was going, though I’m sure they’ll figure it out soon.

As of Volcrian’s Hunt, I’m no longer on a mission for my people. I’m on a personal quest to find an old friend. The Matriarch has probably cooked up a plan to hunt me down, cunning old crone that she is, but I won’t let her stop me!Thanks so much for answering our questions. Is there anything else you'd like to share with your readers?

Being the first seraphim since the War of the Races is a mixed blessing. The Matriarch pushes endless responsibilities onto my shoulders. I don’t feel like I’ve earned the right to carry this kind of status among my people. In Caprion’s Wings, you will see my younger self, still naive, overconfident and untried. You will come to understand the events that made me who I am. And I think you’ll get some insight into the next book, Ferran’s Map, and how my story might continue.

Thanks for having me, Intisar! Good luck to you, and the One Star’s blessing!

Thanks, Caprion! It's not every day I receive a harpy's blessing. :)

About the Book

By the age of nineteen, all Harpies know how to fly—except Caprion. He has yet pass the test of the Singing and gain his wings. His family has disowned him in shame and people are beginning to talk. Now an evil voice haunts his dreams, taunting him, drawing out his worst fears—that he will remain wingless forever.

Caprion decides to find the root of this insidious voice, no matter what it takes. He journeys to the secret prisons of the Harpy underground, where he meets a young slave named Moss. In those sunless, decrepit cells, a forbidden friendship is formed. Can Caprion and Moss find the source of the voice? And can Caprion save Moss from a terrible fate?

Join young Caprion as he journeys down, down into the earth, finding his wings and forging a friendship that will change him forever.

*Caprion's Wings is a companion story to The Cat's Eye Chronicles. As a novella, it will be between 40,000-50,000 words long.

T. L. Shreffler lives in Los Angeles, CA. She loves diversity, fantasy, romance, iced tea, long walks, philosophy, and thrift store shopping. She recently graduated with a BA in Badass (Creative Writing) and her poetry has been published consecutively in Eclipse: A Literary Journal and The Northridge Review. She is author of The Cat's Eye Chronicles (YA/Epic Fantasy) and The Wolves of Black River (PN Romance.)